Dassault Powers Living Heart Project

Dassault Systèmes, a provider of 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, has announced the world’s first 3D realistic simulation model of a whole human heart.

Developed with a multidisciplinary team of experts to help combat cardiovascular disease, the Living Heart Project aims to provide advancements in diagnosing, treating and preventing heart conditions through personalised, 3D virtual models.

At the centre of the project is a 3D heart model powered by Dassault Systèmes 3DExperience platform’s realistic simulation applications. Simulation experts from Dassault Systèmes have used the latest advancements in simulation provided by the SIMULIA applications to develop a comprehensive 3D model of the heart, capturing the electrical and mechanical behaviour in the most realistic simulation to date.

Using echocardiogram, MRI and CT scan images, along with cardiac research data, personalised 3D heart simulations will soon allow medical professionals to better understand the behaviour of a patient’s heart without the need for additional invasive diagnostic procedures.

We live in an exciting time with the capacity to simulate how a patient’s heart may respond to a wide range of interventions, sparing that individual and many others the uncertainties of their procedural outcome,” states James C Perry, Professor of Paediatrics at UC San Diego and Director of Electrophysiology and Adult CHD at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. “This is true for those with congenital heart defects, whose lives necessarily include many cardiac procedures, but also for the larger population of people with heart failure, arrhythmias and other structural abnormalities. This technology is a huge advancement that will expedite the translation of our basic scientific understanding of cardiac function into practical applications that promote improved health and safety.”

“Dassault Systèmes has been involved in many simulation projects over the years – from automobile design simulations that help avoid serious injury, to studies done alongside leading researchers that study the impact of contact sports on the brain. The collaboration among multidisciplinary experts that lead to the Living Heart Project ensures it will have a lasting impact,” said Scott Berkey, CEO, SIMULIA Dassault Systèmes. “With the contribution of leading researchers, medical practitioners and regulatory agencies, this project is another example of how our 3DExperience platform can help improve product, nature, and life.”

This realistic human heart simulation will not only become a valuable educational and translational tool to incite research innovation, but may also lead to accelerated regulatory approval cycles, reduced development costs for new and more personalised devices and will ultimately enable early diagnoses and improve treatment outcomes.

The Living Heart Project is a leading example of the value and potential for realistic simulation to significantly impact healthcare in a positive way” noted Bill Murray, President and CEO, Medical Device Innovation Consortium. “The MDIC, a public-private partnership with the FDA, is proud to participate in these types of innovative efforts. The Living Heart Project is a model for how collaborations can work to advance regulatory science in the medical device industry and improve patient access to cutting-edge medical technology.”

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